<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Okikagu Anthology by Akely</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28340274">The Okikagu Anthology</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akely/pseuds/Akely'>Akely</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gintama</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, Eternal Yorozuya Doujin Circle, F/M, Married Couple, Married Life</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 19:28:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,744</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28340274</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akely/pseuds/Akely</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A collection of snippets from the different AUs in my mind. Some will be one shots, some multi-chapters. Once a work has enough chapters I'll make it into a separate work from here. </p><p>Features Okikagu in many settings, might also have some side ships such as: GinHiji, SakaMutsu... </p><p>First AU: Rouge, Yakuza setting.<br/>Second AU; Bloodrose, Vampires AU</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki, Kagura &amp; Okita Sougo, Kagura/Okita Sougo, Mutsu/Sakamoto Tatsuma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>84</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Rouge i</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">

        <li>
          Translation into Français available: 
            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29838477">Growing up - French Translation</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akely/pseuds/Akely">Akely</a>
        </li>


    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>
  <strong>Rouge</strong>
</h1><h2>bullet i</h2><hr/><p>Kagura didn't quite understand how this man managed to convince her to go to a party.</p><p>It wasn't part of the deal with Kamui at all but he mentioned food and her brain short-circuited. She had been to many boring mundane parties already so doing one more shouldn't be horrible, right? Although Okita Sougo was an insufferable man, Kagura possessed more poise and patience than one could think, especially for delicious food.</p><p>This explained why she was dressed in an extravagant <em>qipao</em>, waiting for the said atrocious man to come. The dress wasn't actually her favorite, it was very long and although in a rare shade of crimson leaning pink Kagura preferred a more movement-friendly outfit. Still, it was a <em>qipao</em> that made her look regal, with its luxurious hand-sewn ornaments, the rich gloss of the silk, it was perfect for those kinds of parties.</p><p>Kagura sipped the hot tea Yamazaki served her, what man made such a beautiful woman wait? She had dolled up much quicker than him, although it was true she never dabbled in makeup too long. Not that she wanted to make her original beauty shine or anything; as Kamui once said, she sucked ass at it. Actually, Kamui's taste was nearly perfect when it came to women and this dress was bought by him, when he saw it on a runway.</p><p>"Does he spend, like, hours doing his hair?! It's not even long," she complained to the poor jimmy sitting further. Truth to be said she had just devoured the freshly pounded <em>mochi</em> Yamazaki bought but she wasn't satisfied. "What a pumply prick!"</p><p>"It's pompous, you illiterate China girl," a familiar low voice echoed into her ears. Okita Sougo had slipped behind her and tugged on her long red hair, for once not tied into a bun. She cursed him for always managing to slip near her somehow — even though she was a trained <em>Yato</em>. "And for your information I have to try different outfits, I'm just like, one of the biggest heirs of the Yakuza Clans in Japan. You're but a side dish."</p><p>"Who are you calling a side dish, I'm the dessert," Kagura gestured a large wave from her face to her curves, the <em>qipao</em> tight on her body, she knew she was breathtaking. "And see, you guys have no honor. If you're Yakuza then dress like whatever you want, it's not like you'll be of any use in pretty clothings. That's left for me."</p><p>Although Kagura wouldn't ever admit it in his face, her father was a good example of a man in power. Umibozu was feared in all China and more and as far as she knew, he still came to meetings with tattered clothes with his shiny bald head.</p><p>"Is that what you did?" He cocked an eyebrow and gestured for her to get up. "Surprising. I thought you were kept like a princess."</p><p>Kagura rose up, not without grounding her teeth as him. "I never said I need permission for that, I had to go to parties and It's funnier to mess with people, yes?"</p><p>Like messing up with an old hag that always had fun critiquing their family's boorish ways. Her humiliated face was absolutely delicious, when Kagura led her husband to divorce her in front of hundreds. Kagura had just slipped some words, barely tainted in sexuality and the prospect of a young, beautiful woman made him break up with his life partner.</p><p>As if she, Kagura of the <em>Yato</em> Clan, would need a man. This, of course, applied to the arrogant bastard known as Okita Sougo as well.</p><p>"Well, I guess that gives us one thing in common China," his eyes slid over her body and he grinned maliciously.</p><p>Kagura didn't have the time to move when she heard the wind being cut, the painful cries of the silk as he cleanly drew a slit on her right hips. Her long legs exposed, Kagura could only jab him in the stomach.</p><p>"I love my women bold," his hands roughly caressed her thighs and laughed, probably knowing that if Kamui were here he would be a fumbling mess of anger. "This is more like you, China."</p><p>"You'll have to repay it. Fully." Kagura glared at him but she had long gone used to his antics. He enjoyed riling her up, knowing whatever suave seduction he used, he would only reap anger. "And who's your woman?"</p><p>"You are," he drawled lazily, "for tonight, that is. If I bring a woman to a party then people would assume it's my woman."</p><p>"Could be a pretty girl taking her Chihuahua for a walk," she finally looked at him. His hair was parted from the middle for once, giving him a more gentleman look that fitted just fine with his black suit. With some confusion, she noticed his tie was of the same color as her dress. "Why are you matching me? I don't wanna be your woman, Sadist."</p><p>"But you'll have to," he pushed her in front of him and led her to his car. Expensive, of course, but Kagura was delighted to see her favorite snack inside at least. "I'm sure no old hags are going to hit on me with a China beast besides me. And why do you like <em>sukonbu </em>so much? My special <em>tabasco mochi </em>is much better."</p><p>"Your tongue's as twisted as your mind, yes?" Kagura savoured the sour deliciousness on her tongue, the taste of cheap and unhealthy snacks was the best. "I'm going to hit on a man and escape, yes? Who wants to guard you, you're not even mine."</p><p>"So China-san has men?" He sounded amused but Kagura noticed his eyes weren't quite laughing.</p><p><em>Whatever</em>, she thought. He was a prick anyway, "I have Sadaharu and he's more of a man than you, yes? You think I'd manage to date someone without Kamui or Papi killing him?"</p><p>"Maybe I should make you my woman after all," he cooled his voice and opened the cabinet, pouring himself a glass of sake. "Just to rile up your pops. He's called the strongest of the world, right?"</p><p>"If you want to die, I can kill you. I can’t promise a quick and painless death though, Sadist." Kagura was irritated at him — it wasn't even his fault but he had the manners of a rich pampered brat. Because he was exactly that.</p><p>Okita Sougo sat in front of her, his annoyingly long legs crossed and sipping <em>sake</em> like it was champagne. Couldn't he act normal? She felt like in a constant photoshooting with him.</p><p>"Well, your brother didn't specify I <em>couldn't</em> make you mine. Training a gorilla like you might be a fun challenge, wanna try BDSM with me China?" He laughed again.</p><p>It was strange, his laugh sounded like bells and rang in her head. He seemed comfortable with her and the Sadist laughed just like how he laughed with Mayora or Gorilla. Kagura didn't know what to make of it, but she'd rather not have a man as persistent as him as a suitor.</p><p>She ignored his proposition and instead replied, "my brother thinks you're <em>gay</em>."</p><p>"And he only has himself to blame if I seduce his sister, that he sent to me." He closed down the distance and tipped her head, as if he were going to kiss her.</p><p>But Kagura knew he wasn't going to so she held his eyes, she didn't know why he liked playing with her so much. She guessed it was partly his nature, partly the nature down his pants,  but she didn't give a chance to anyone not serious.</p><p>"You stink of tabasco," she whipped her head back and really, she wanted to break one of his arms for real. "Stop playing playboy with me just because you're in a suit."</p><p>"It's what I need to do during parties," she finally heard his familiar lazy, dumb voice. Not that he was lying before— Kagura knew he did hold some interests in her, simply because she was a <em>Yato</em> and rivaled him in strength. She preferred his less Yakuza-side, the one that slips in the bath and fails to assassinate Mayora. "Ahh, last time I went there's this girl. Was she called Urara? I just said she was a good sow, since her father had some good deals with us."</p><p>"That's supposed to be a compliment?"</p><p>"And she kept following me after that," he ignored her comment, "but Hijikata-san wants me to play that and Kondo-san listens to him."</p><p>"You're so weak," she mocked him and held her hand in front of her mouth, something Otose had taught her to but it only came as cruel and snarking. Kagura could be elegant. She was just elegant in her own way. "I'll talk to her, yes? But only because I want to save a nice girl from you. I know a good optician so she gets her priorities right."</p><hr/><p>As expected the party was overly fancy.</p><p>Kagura would have enjoyed staying in a <em>japanese</em> manor setting, just like how it was in the Shinsengumi but she was met with spiralling stairs, chandeliers, like some <em>anime</em>  background shit. She eyed the buffet table but there was nothing generous and she sighed, if food wasn't good here then why did she come?</p><p>The Sadist was walking next to her, thankfully he didn't force her to clutch his arms like how some men enjoyed. To her surprise he didn't hold her by the waist either, despite being insufferable at times he seemed to have <em>some</em> respect left for her. Right now he stood next to an old man who seemed all too inclined to lick his boots while she strode her way to the food. She certainly didn’t want to appear as his woman, especially since there were plenty others eying him like he was candy.</p><p><em>They all have bad taste</em>, Kagura quickly shovelled appetizers onto her plate. They were little bites, really, and it wasn’t nearly sufficient for her, when the Yato Clan held a party they would spread entire dishes across the tables at least. In the end she still enjoyed familial, generous cooking over extravagant ones with some rare fruits they found in exotic countries.</p><p>She also didn't miss the eyes on her. The women were dressed quite conservatively in expensive <em>kimono</em>, a few in big brand name dresses but none as exquisite as her. This was the Sadist's fault, surely he must have known and had cut the dress to attract all the eyes on her.</p><p>Unfortunately for him, if he had wanted to see her humiliated she was not. A beautiful woman was used to stares.</p><p>Kagura instead moved on the peculiar man gulfing down the strawberry shortcakes bites. Perm hair, an old fashioned white suit and a pink, a parfait patterned shirt inside; he was absolutely strange.</p><p>"Don't take all the food, yes?" She casually sat down next to him and proceeded to pick from her own plate at an inhumane speed.</p><p>"You're not better at all," the man yelled. His eyes dead like a fish, "leave the strawberry and it's a deal."</p><p>"I prefer <em>sukonbu</em>."</p><p>"<em>Sukonbu</em>?" He turned to examine her but failed to recognize her, "who'd eat this? I prefer strawberry <em>pocky</em>."</p><p>Kagura cocked an eyebrow, "strawberry <em>Pocky</em> doesn't even taste like strawberry. You're a strawberry addict, yes? You must be the kind of old man that wears pink strawberry trunks too."</p><p>"How did you know?!" The man looked more surprised than embarrassed, "Gin-chan might be old but I have the soul of a young man. And most importantly, those <em>pocky</em> taste good because—"</p><p>"It's pink chocolate with sugar—"</p><p>"But that's why it tastes good! I'm a humble person you know, I enjoy the simple taste of sugar and cheap aromas. My body hasn't evolved to eat whatever there is on that table."</p><p>"I know, you smell like cup ramen yes?" Kagura slid closer and pulled onto his shoulders, "gimme some, I'll pay you, yes?"</p><p>"Whose family did you come from to learn the taste of cup ramen— well, you do eat <em>sukonbu.</em>" He grinned, "there's a cheap ramen shop a few streets away. I thought no one else would understand the beauty of cheap food."</p><p>"My mami said your body wants to kill itself, yes? The worse it is for your body, the better it tastes."  Kagura told the man proudly, her mami was certainly the smartest woman she knew.</p><p>"Your mami's a scary woman to tell a brat this," he called a boy working in the room and had <em>sake</em> poured for him, "but she's right."</p><p>"Of course she is. I don't know your name, yes?"</p><p>"Sakata Gintoki, I'm known as the cool <em>Shiroyasha </em>of Tokyo and—"</p><p>"Yes, yes, Gin-chan. You think you're the main character or something?" Kagura cleaned her plate and licked her fingers, not minding the fact that Okita Sougo was positively glaring at her. "I'm Kagura <em>aru</em>."</p><p>"Kagura-chan is it? Well, I feel like Souichiro-kun is staring at you, he's a big shot you know?" Gintoki sweated, feeling unwell in the glare of the Sadist. Okita was still chatting with a group of people, though his eyes occasionally glanced towards them with a glowering anger. “Is he your boyfriend or something?”</p><p>“Nah,” Kagura picked up more food from the table, “you’re imagining things.”</p><p>The Sadist didn’t like it when she didn’t follow his orders outside, probably because if something happened to her Kamui could easily destroy half of the Shinsengumi. But this was their deal, their problems. Kagura didn’t care to listen to them when she had no say in it and had to live with a group of gorillas already.</p><p>“He’s walking towards us Kagura-chan,” Gintoki hid behind her and trembled. Kagura thought that the <em>caviar </em>and the <em>yuzu</em> spread was perfectly disgusting.</p><p>“He’s just hungry.”</p><p>“I’m not sure he’s hungry, he’s really staring at you. And he’s drawing his sword.”</p><p>“I’m a pretty woman, that can’t be helped Gin-chan.”</p><p>“Oi, oi China, didn’t I tell you to not try getting out of my sight?” The Sadist radiated a dark aura and nearly kicked down the banquet tablet, before deciding to point his sword at Gintoki instead. The poor man never asked for anything. Much less the heir of the Shinsengumi.</p><p>“Sofa-kun, was it? I swear I wasn’t hitting on her, she’s young enough to be my daughter you know— Gin-chan isn’t a lolicon.”</p><p>But Sadist didn’t listen and Kagura bit another piece, this time it was chocolate covered fruits. The pear tasted fresh against the dark chocolate and Kagura was floating in sugary bliss, she had never tried this combo before but it was really good. She had to tell Abuto to buy those for her next time.</p><p>“It’s Sougo and China, this man’s part of the <em>Jouishishi </em>your brother wants to happily erase away you know?” He grabbed her by the wrist and tried to pull her at his side, this time she refused to budge. He was just fine at the Shinsengumi house, but did he have to treat her like some dolls outside? Was she a frail lady to be protected?</p><p>“I don’t care, <em>aru</em>, I don’t believe that Mucchi would just follow any dumbass man, especially if they’re as ugly as you—”</p><p>“— Ugly? I’m considered one of the most handsome, and for how long have you been eating anyway?” He kicked away Gintoki (who was more than relieved to escape) and threatened to slide his sword over the unscattered part of her dress, “I’ll cut it too if you don’t listen.”</p><p>“You ero Chihuahua, I’ll tell everything to Bakaniki when he’s back and I’m sure you two will have a lot of fun together.” Kagura mocked him, after all, everybody in Tokyo’s nightlife heard the rumor that Okita Sougo wasn’t interested in women, merely pretending to be. Kamui was similar, only three things mattered to him and it was what she named the three Fs: fight, food, family.</p><p>If the two were to meet again, Kagura could envision a new scoop and dirty innuendo…</p><p>“Pupu, you two are a good fit. Want my stupid brother?”</p><p>“Hah?” He slipped his hands to her waist, too intimately to Kagura’s taste, “be good and I’ll give you <em>sukonbu</em> later. There’s this annoying sow coming,” he whispered to her ears.</p><p>“So that’s why you’re so angry huh, got your panty in a bunch for one girl?”</p><p>“She’s the most annoying thing you’ll ever meet, China. Look,” he nodded to the left where a burly man in a vivid light blue suit walked with a young girl at his arms. “That’s Watanabe Urara, her father has fertility issues and she’s the only daughter. Obviously, she’s the apple of his eyes.” </p><p>The girl was quite cute, her pink hair tied in two ponytails swaying as she gracefully walked towards them. Kagura clearly recognized the face of a first love in her smitten expression and blushing cheeks, she wore a rather conservative <em>kimono</em> in light green and a dark <em>obi</em>. It wasn’t the colors a young woman would wear, especially not one as bubbly as her.</p><p>But those were the colors the Sadist liked to wear, outside of dark suits. She had never seen him wear anything even slightly eccentric, or anything outside of humble colors, really.</p><p>“Okita-san,” Urara called so sweetly, Kagura thought it would induce diabete. Soyo-chan told her tales and tales of love stories but as she looked at the poor, enraptured girl Kagura decided she’d rather avoid that. “I didn’t know you’d come here, it’s such a coincidence!”</p><p>
  <em>The Watanabe family were famous for owning large shares in many popular social networks, on the outside they might appear as just a rich business clan, in truth they sell informations and hold a large network.  </em>
</p><p>For once, Otose’s lessons on the different clans prove to be useful.</p><p>“Coincidence?” Sadist crossed his arms akimbo and raised an eyebrow, he glared at the Watanabe president and ignored the daughter. The man was burly but kind-looking, like a panda and beyond the appearance Kagura guessed an experienced man with a very sharp mind.</p><p>Okita couldn’t be coerced into wedding his daughter but if Urara so much as asked, managing to make them meet would be very easy.</p><p>“Isn’t that fate?” Urara squealed, managing to slip near him and subtly pushing Kagura away. Which could have happened— Kagura was more than willing to go back to food— but Okita kept a firm hand on her, it almost hurt.</p><p>“As you can see <em>Watanabe-san</em> I have a partner tonight,” he forced her to stop in front of him, fully planning on using her as an excuse to dismiss Urara, “right Kagura?”</p><p><em>Don’t call me that</em>, she shivered at his perfect, prince-like smile. What did that poor girl see in him, really? He was a total creep.</p><p>Okita pinched her back.</p><p>“Yes, huh.. Rokita— Okita,” she stepped on his foot and smiled as brightly as one could, with rough hands pinching her sensible skin. “And I’ll let the two of you—”</p><p>“Ohh, don’t be shy Kagura, you don’t have to hide the kind of relationship we have. It’s nothing improper,” he was delighted when Urara winced.</p><p>This was when the dad intervened, bowing slightly to Kagura but his eyes were like those of a snake. “May I ask who your charming companion is, Okita-san? Which family has the pleasure of raising such a beautiful woman?”</p><p><em>Is she worth more than my own daughter?</em>, was what he meant. Kagura knew those games well, after all, his daughter must be more precious than a mine of diamonds. That father wouldn’t allow anyone to make his precious Urara unhappy, much less if Kagura was just some plaything, a low-born woman.</p><p>Unfortunately for him, she was not.</p><p>“Kagura is from the Yato Clan,” Okita smiled darkly and swooped her hair, catching strands of it to kiss it. He acted so well, Kagura almost thought he was handsome. Almost. “The most beautiful woman I’ve met.”</p><p>
  <em>I’m gonna throw up — oof</em>
</p><p>Okita placed his hand on her cheeks, tilting her head towards him in what seemed to be a romantic gesture but his eyes were warning her. There was no way he didn’t know she wanted to throw up, given that she did so last time he acted like some <em>shojo</em> prince.</p><p>“She’s very beautiful Okita-san,” Urara smiled, unwilling to lose the fight, “much more than the other women you play with, right?”</p><p>“Certainly, even Okita-san enjoys having beautiful women accompanying him.”</p><p>Kagura clenched her hands. It was one thing if they talked down to her because she appeared as the Sadist’s woman but it was another once they knew she was a Yato. Though the Watanabe were indeed a powerful family in Japan they didn’t exist beyond it, how did they dare a Yato woman would lower herself to being just a plaything? Not to mention she wasn’t just any woman— she was the precious heiress.</p><p>Just one word from her and things like the Watanabe could fall into ruins.</p><p>Fortunately for them, Sadist acted before she could and took her right hand in his, rubbing the lady finger with faked affection. “Oh, she’s much more than that. I hope you understand, Watanabe-sama, that you’ll have to find another suitor for your daughter. My Kagura is very jealous, you wouldn’t want the fury of the Yato against you, I hope.”</p><p>“N-Not at all, come on Urara, let’s go take some fresh air,” the father sweated in fear, trembling as he pushed the rebelling girl with him. The bravado, after all, had come to an end if one didn’t have the means behind it.</p><p>“My  <em>Kagura?</em>” Kagura immediately pulled out from his embrace, spitting onto her hands and rubbing it all over as if disinfecting wounds. She wanted to bash his head right here and right now but causing a fuss in Japan wouldn’t be too good when Kamui was out doing whatever he needed to do. “You better make it clear when I leave, I don’t want to be known as one of your M.”</p><p>“They’re so persistent, there was no other way China. You should be grateful to even stand in this fake spot, do you know how many women would kill for that?”</p><p>She jabbed him in the chest, so strong it made him cough out the champagne he just sipped. How fast was he, anyway? She didn’t even notice he got a glass. He enjoyed drinking too much. Even though he didn’t hold alcohol that well, “I have plenty of suitors too. I’d have, if Papi and Kamui weren’t spending their time chasing them out.”</p><p>“Oh trust me China, they’d run away by themselves once they discover you’re such a pig. The magic worked less than 0.5 seconds for me,” he wiped his mouth and proceeded to pinch her cheeks. “Don’t worry China, once you’re gone they’ll chase for me again and you’ll be quickly forgotten. I don’t see why it’s such a bad deal for you, since nobody would ask your hand anyway.”</p><p>“The poor women all over you will get their brains once they marry, don’t worry. You’ll be divorced in less than three months,” Kagura looked around the room but she didn’t catch any sight of perm hair and white suit. She was quite disappointed, he might be the first person in Japan she seemed to enjoy the presence of, despite meeting for a short time. “I’d rather be celibate all my life than work for you eternally.”</p><p>“I don’t even make your work that hard,” he snorted. “If you’re looking for that man he’s gone. What, is your type the sleazy kind?”</p><p>“I’m not! He was just like, kind of cool.”</p><p>Okita didn’t reply and looked at her curiously, probably not understanding her.</p><p>He didn’t have to. Kagura had a good sense of judging people and Gin-chan was a good person, she <em>smelled</em> it, just like how the Sadist didn’t totally smell like a douchebag. Just half of it.</p><p>“I’ve learnt my lesson China, you don’t get to move out of my sight. It’s bothersome if you run away.”</p><p>Kagura sighed and could only ruefully look at the main door, she was craving for some cup ramen.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Marriage Blues</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Sougo," her voice is weak. Wavering, "Let's...Stop. Just stop." </p>
<p>Sougo feels numb. His wife slides the divorce file in front of him and he fumbles to find the right words but he cannot. He knows all too well she's suffering too much, that he doesn't have the power to mend her wounds and stop the pain.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Their wedding is the happiest day of his life. Years after meeting under the cherry blossoms, she is twenty one and he's twenty-five when he finally slips a ring on her finger and makes the oath to love her until death separates them. </p>
<p>There is no other woman who can replace her and she becomes his most precious China, even if she only knows how to make eggs over rice each dinner. It's a surprise he's so soft with her but for the first time since years, Sougo feels content with his life. Nothing is lacking anymore and he has a home and a cheeky wife to return to each night, he doesn't know if there’s a  kind of happiness able to top this. </p>
<p>She's not perfect and neither is he, but they somehow manage to get it together and despite fighting nearly everyday her smile only becomes brighter and brighter at his side. The house is a mess, and the cooking often poor, but he knows he has the best woman in his arms and he never misses an opportunity to lovingly kiss her.</p>
<p>Their happiness doesn't last. </p>
<p>It's not his fault nor her fault. It makes it all the more infuriating when a month into their marriage, citizens become more and more revolted about <em> Amantos </em>living among them. The war has ended but the wounds don't heal as easily. This is just its consequence, the harsh reality that is out of his control. </p>
<p>She's not the type of woman to hide behind a man, much less hide behind <em> him </em>. It’s no surprise she doesn’t tell him about it; he expected just as much. Sougo understands it’s not mistrust or embarrassment, her strong soul is what made him fall for her, after all. </p>
<p>Still the sight burns into his mind and it takes Yamazaki to calm him down, his left hand shifting to the guard of his blade. </p>
<p>Kagura walks with a large bag of discount egg and tabasco bottles when a woman throws a rock at her.</p>
<p>"Monster, how can you still live here?" </p>
<p>"Leave Edo, once for all!" </p>
<p>"How could Okita-san marry <em> something </em> like you? You're not even human!" </p>
<p>Kagura stays silent, her eyes strong and dazzling as she walks through the crowd and dodges the projectiles. Her face is like ice, frozen stiff, and he knows she's used to this. The Yato Clan is nearly extinct, their home planet long destroyed, so where should she go and seek refuge? Kagura loves the Earth dearly, and the more she loves, more is the pain. </p>
<p>Sougo dashes to her and shields her back, as if covering her away from people's eyes — the crowd silences itself and he’s trembling in anger. It’s unfair. </p>
<p>"You should have told me if it was this bad," he tries keeping his cool but she doesn’t miss the hint of anger in his voice, unusually high. </p>
<p>"So what? They can spout what they want, yes? It’s not like I care,” she hushes him at her side and Sougo nods to Yamazaki as he walks off with her. They rented an apartment near the Shinsengumi, a pretty secure district but now Sougo wonders if they should move to the Kabuki District. </p>
<p>"You can go back to <em> Danna </em> if you want,” he mumbles to her. There’s no way they could buy a house right now and hunting for a new place would take time. A lot of it. Money is not the issue but because of his duty as a captain, living outside the compound means having experts verify if any outside flats are safe enough. “I’ll find somewhere new for us—” </p>
<p>Kagura unlocks the door and cuts him.</p>
<p>“It will pass,” she declares and proceeds to lay the bag on the kitchen counter, ignoring his presence. Tonight is <em> omurice </em>, an improvement from the simple TKG he’s been fed with since their marriage. Sougo knows she isn’t used to him being so attentive to her yet. It’s not like they didn’t care for each other when they were rivals, or when they were dating, but he certainly pays a lot more attention since they married and decided to live together.</p>
<p>“If you say so, China doll,” he nods and moves onto house chores. He isn’t one to speak much so he can only wait until she allows him to intervene. Besides, Kagura’s strong and she might really be only mildly annoyed. </p>
<hr/>
<p>The harassment doesn't stop. It’s worse. </p>
<p>Like rabid dogs they bear their fangs at her because China is famous— she's his wife, she's an alien hunter, she's a Yato. Successful, beautiful. His wife is extraordinary and it gives all the more reasons for the public opinion to act as if she weren't deserving of him. As if there's something wrong, unnatural to their union. </p>
<p>They're fools and Sougo was close to committing a bloody massacre. It’s been a year since the harassment started and he sees how bad the influence had been on Kagura. Her usual bubbly-self is gone, instead he’s greeted with silence and Sougo makes an effort to ask her questions, to get the conversation going. No matter how strong she is, Kagura is only a human at heart. She cannot possibly stand the eyes, the words everytime she goes out. </p>
<p>She's hurt. She's beaten down.</p>
<p>So he does the only thing he can do for her: reaffirm his love for her. </p>
<p>It's on a wednesday afternoon that Sougo sets up a platform in the middle of Edo and takes his megaphone, shouting for the world to hear. </p>
<p>"November the 3rd, I asked China to date me. One year later, I propose to China. July 8th, I'm twenty-five and China marries me." </p>
<p>The citizens stop and look at him curiously— Okita Sougo, the captain of the first division, what could he be possibly doing? Omitting his mischief, he’s regarded as a rather silent man who doesn’t enjoy attention.  </p>
<p>"I love China," Sougo's voice wavers as he remembers her sober face when she's home, the slight hesitation when she slips into the bed after him. "She's the most beautiful, the strongest, the most precious woman of the world. Of my world. Please stop harassing my wife." </p>
<p>Sougo bows down honestly and stands against the flashes of the camera, the whispers of the citizens, he doesn't care about his image or his pride when his marriage is at risk. There's nothing scarier than her leaving him. </p>
<p>He sees red hair from afar. Kagura's tearing up as she runs towards him and hugs him tight; the soldiers of the Shinsengumi help them to the car. He apologizes for the burden and she wipes her snot on his uniform. </p>
<p>"I hate it," Kagura admits in between sobs, "when they say a Yato can't be with an Earthling. What do they know, aru? You're the super Sadist, it’s not like you’re weak or something, yes?" </p>
<p>He embraces her and nods silently, the scenery defiling in the windows. He’s not used to her crying face, the last time he saw it was during their wedding because he put some tabasco in her cake: but at last, she’s properly talking to him. </p>
<p>"Well,” he smilesand tucks a wild strand behind her ears, “there’s only one China that’s not too boring to marry.” </p>
<p>Kagura laughs, her smile a toothy grin, "that's right. Who else can bear a sadist like you?" </p>
<p>"That's mean China, I just declared my love for you in front of the whole world. It was recorded by national television, you know?" </p>
<p>"That's what you ought to do for this Kagura-sama, yes? Do it everyday."</p>
<hr/>
<p> They move to Kabuki district. The apartment and appliances aren't as good as the one they had, but it makes Kagura happy and it's all that matters. Even if she's down she's surrounded by the one she loves; <em> Danna </em> and Shinpachi-kun are also nearby in case something happens. </p>
<p>To be honest, he is displeased by their constant presence because hell, he wants to be intimate with his wife and not necessarily in a sexual sense but he’s gotten used to their life before. One where he snuggles on to her on the couch, and sleeps on her laps when he’s tired, which his father-in-law still couldn’t accept in his presence. However, upon seeing her bright smile Sougo forgets it all.</p>
<p>Since his stunt the hostility decreased and there's nothing but shiny dreams in Kagura's head again. With Shinpachi at proximity, Kagura delves into learning how to cook and delights in her quick improvement. To be honest,Sougo doesn't really care about what he eats but anything she made tasted delicious. </p>
<p>It seems she is firing up and taking the criticism as a challenge, he never asked her to become a perfect <em> japanese </em> wife but she does everything to hone her homemaker skills. Of course, he helps her and provides her the support she needs, though not without a banter or two. </p>
<p>This is how he imagined his life with her— she's rough and can break all the bones of his body yet she's also sweet and gentle, as she welcomes him back from work. She's both a snot-nosed brat and the most gorgeous china doll. He's mesmerized everyday, feeling that even a hundred years wasn’t enough to enjoy all his married life had to offer. </p>
<p>Sougo feels he's more mushy since he married but he's fine with it. Kagura is the one to teach him there’s more than being a sword all his life, sharp and astute. He no longer lives only for the Shinsengumi, he’s got a wife and it’s fine to be a little vulnerable. </p>
<p>It's when Sougo reaches twenty seven that he buys a house. Combining their salary, there’s more than enough to choose a good property: a two-story, traditional japanese house with a large garden. Enough to accommodate a whole family.</p>
<p><em>Family </em>. </p>
<p>The word rolls off his tongue smoothly, he's still in a daze when imagining small flax and red haired heads running around in the hallways. </p>
<p>Kagura says she's ready to try having them. Children. Their children.</p>
<p>It's like a dream come true. He didn’t think he was  a family man, not until he meets her and the future becomes warmer and brighter. The problems seem to be part of the past, and days are spent hopeful and fun. A boy or a girl? Which names should they pick? Should they buy special Yato nursery items?</p>
<p>Six months later, nothing. </p>
<p>A year later, Kagura is holding onto his sleeves as they visit the doctor. They're young, they're healthy, they try hard, there's no reason as to why Kagura isn't pregnant yet. </p>
<p>"The Yato are a nearly extinct race so we don't have much documentation about them but both of you are fine. It might be that your wife's body is still stressed from the past harassment. We know the Yato body is one cut by constant wars, it might be hard for a Yato woman to get pregnant unless some conditions are met." </p>
<p>Kagura's hand tightens around his and she just might break his cartilages, but Sougo bears the pain and listens to the doctor. </p>
<p>"But it might also be that Yato and humans cannot produce children at all, although the anatomy seems to allow it. We can’t know for sure." </p>
<p>Kagura bites her lips and Sougo feels a shadow shrouding her heart again. </p>
<p>At night, Sougo finally breaks the uncomfortable silence. "We can adopt children, or have none at all. I don't care about things like that, China. We can just see what happens, it's fine." </p>
<p>"I know, Sadist," she whispers weakly. "They won't get baldy's weak hair roots, at least." </p>
<p>"Isn't your pirate of a brother starting to lose his?" He holds her tighter, "he will lose his popularity ranks even more." </p>
<p>Kagura laughs, but he knows it's half-sincere and he can only hope they'll recover from it. They will, they've always won over the hardships. </p>
<p>Sougo prays from the bottom of his heart.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Someone leaks the information. </p>
<p>It's a nurse of the clinic they went to, apparently she used to be one of his fans but she's mostly a jealous sow, if someone asks his opinion. After interrogation she tears up and says Kagura has it all, so easily, when she doesn't even belong <em> here </em> and this time nobody could stop him from punching that woman's face. </p>
<p>
  <em>Easy? </em>
</p>
<p>Kagura is constantly fighting. She fought for the Earth, she fights against her blood to be human, she fights against stupidly strong aliens threatening her favorite planet. She fights to protect her idiot perm head dad, and fights with her sadistic husband.</p>
<p>People envy her, most of all, and don't see all the efforts to become what she is now. </p>
<p>"But Okita-san, it's fate if she cannot birth your children, she's a beast!" </p>
<p>Hijikata-san has to order soldiers to handcuff him as he trashes in pure, unadulterated rage. He is seething, murderous even, as this woman puts his China down to nothing more than a birthing machine. </p>
<p>Even if she couldn't birth, the fault is not hers. It's theirs. They've decided to marry despite all the differences and Sougo doesn't regret it, at all. Never. Kagura's much more than a female to bear heirs, so what if they couldn't have biological children? He loves her. There's nothing more important than that. Kagura is plenty of other things, she's more than even most people can <em> dream </em>to achieve. </p>
<p>But Sougo comes back home to an empty home. There's a letter from Kagura and she says she needs a break and she needs to think, she says she loves him, that he doesn't have to worry. </p>
<p><em>Bullshit </em>.</p>
<p>Sougo breaks into the Yorozuya but Kagura's eyes are dim. They're tired from the pressure, from the hate that never really left. She’s tired of seeing him trying everything to make it stop, to no avail, and Sougo knows what she thinks.</p>
<p>Kagura's not a woman who breaks down often, and would never think she's a burden or undeserving of him. That's insulting their rivalry and their relationship. But she worries about if she's allowed a future with him, everything is against them. People never stopped hating her, never stopped bringing her down.</p>
<p>"There's no way," his voice is trembling and Sougo notices how terrified he is. His China doll is slipping away, he feels it, she's never needed to come back to the Yorozuya before. She's always kept her spot at their home no matter what happened outside. "You know I can't get it up without you," he jokes dryly. </p>
<p>"What if you lose your job because of me?" She doesn't look at him, her blue eyes are in front of me yet it's as if she's looking past him. At somewhere that's far, where he can't reach her. "No, even if you're fine with that I'm not, Sadist. We promised to not never lose against each other.” </p>
<p>"Kagura," he pleads, begs her, even. . </p>
<p>"It's going to be fine," she lies, "I just need time, Sadist." </p>
<p>There's no way it's going to be fine if she avoids him, if she forces her smile like it's painful. But there's nothing he can do, and he bows deeply to <em> danna </em> as he leaves.</p>
<p><em>Please take care of my wife </em> , he doesn't need to speak for <em> danna </em> to nod and pat him on the back. </p>
<p>The home becomes a nightmare for him. He notices every trace she left, the forgotten open bottle of soy sauce, the red toothbrush, the many rabbit-themed plates and mugs. Her presence is like a hole, a China-shaped hole in his heart. </p>
<p>Sougo's only comfort is the futon that holds her scent still, and he falls asleep to make time pass faster so he can visit her again. </p>
<p>When her scent leaves the <em> futon </em>, Sougo cannot stay in that house anymore. It's an empty shell of what it's supposed to be, each step he takes inside reminds him she’s not here anymore. Kagura doesn't go back home. Kagura doesn't feel better. </p>
<p>She slips away further and further everyday, like <em> princess Kaguya </em> he has but her picture on his phone to admire. Kondo encourages him and Hijikata-san lets him nap and avoid his duty, he doesn't tell him but it enrages him only more. </p>
<p>They're not breaking up. </p>
<p>He's not heartbroken. </p>
<p>Kagura hasn't left him. </p>
<p><em>Not yet </em>, his damned brain retorts. He curses the world for making everything so hard, he resents the citizens he has to protect, what good is it to be the strongest of the Shinsengumi if he cannot make even one woman happy? </p>
<p>Time becomes a foreign concept. He barely keeps track of it, if not for the days Kagura has left home. It's in sixty seven Kagura-days that she finally calls him and meets him in their house. </p>
<p>He drives like a madman and nearly crashes into every car in his way, his heart is exploding and he's excited that she's back home. He sees her as often as he can at the Yorozuya, but it feels different when they're in their own nest. </p>
<p>She sits on the dusty table of their living room, but his heart is broken at the sight. Her eyes are decided, yes, she's perhaps better than before. But he doesn't miss the red circles beneath those blue eyes, the irritated patch of her skin from <em> crying </em>. </p>
<p>Kagura makes him sit and slides a file in front of him. </p>
<p>"Sougo," her voice is weak and wavering, "Let's...Stop. Just stop." </p>
<p>This is a divorce file. He refuses to recognize it at first but he cannot maintain his cool face— it's written so annoyingly clear and big, that he can't deny the reality of it. </p>
<p>His marriage is failing. China wants divorce. </p>
<p>His mind is numb, it feels like a movie, as if he were watching somewhere else. No, it has been like this those past months, living like a ghost, or is he even living at all? He's watching a movie — his own life — unfolds in front of him. He doesn't even cry or break the table in anger, nor does he fall to his knees and plead her forgiveness. </p>
<p>Sougo doesn't move, barely breathes as he watches her confident eyes waver. </p>
<p><em>Move </em> , he screams internally. <em> Move, Sougo! Say something, anything! </em></p>
<p>If he doesn't do something, it's over. Kagura disappears from his life. No more red hair floating around him, no colors, no taste,  not anything. He's become the shell of himself without her and she looks thinner. Like she hasn't eaten, she has never appeared so frail to him. </p>
<p>"No," his body tenses as he manages to muster something. The pain of reality leaves a sour pang but he wills his voice and tears the damned files. </p>
<p>"What are you doing—"</p>
<p>"That's what I should be asking you," he growls and grabs her wrists none too gently. "Divorce? Don't kid me, China, we're not going to." </p>
<p>"I can't think of anything else! No matter what I do, or you do, it's not stopping. If I can't be your wife, I'll at least <em>be</em> <em>something</em> if I stay your rival!" She screams back, not holding back her tears anymore. </p>
<p>"No," he repeats again. Softy. Sougo releases his grasp on her and shifts to her side, pulling her into his arms and sniffing her scent, feeling her presence close to him again. "There's a solution." </p>
<p>"What solution?" She's desperate and melts into his chest.</p>
<p>"Let's go to space together, Kagura. The Princess said so, she can send me as a representative of the Shinsengumi. Everyone agrees. We need more experience on foreign substances and aliens, anyway." </p>
<p>"Space…?" Kagura's face rises to meet him, and he feels alive again. She's finally looking at him. "You're an Earthling policeman, you're the captain of the first division—" </p>
<p>"I know," he cuts her. "And I'm Okita Sougo, husband of Okita Kagura." </p>
<p>Silence. </p>
<p><em>Does she like it? </em> He worriedly glances at the tangled red hair head buried in his chest, not knowing what he would if she refused. He doesn't care about jobs anymore — the Shinsengumi is still, in his heart, what makes him a proper <em> samurai </em> and they're a bunch of idiots he protects with his life. But they've also taught him to cherish things, and China is one of them.</p>
<p>"Really?" </p>
<p>"Yes," he sighs in relief and allows himself to stroke her face. He's missed her soft skin under his fingers, her body warming up his, her small voice only he had ever heard. "Although it kills me that you'll have to teach <em> me </em> things." </p>
<p>"What? You have the best of the best! Kagura-sama is the strongest alien hunter in the universe, and not only am I strong, I'm not ugly like aldy!" </p>
<p>"You might be the one causing his hair root to die," he pinches her nose and wipes away tears from her eyes. "Don't curse mine too." </p>
<p>"Will we be coming back here?"</p>
<p>"If we can, yes. But I married an alien wife, so you know, maybe we should do it like in Dr*gon B*ll and run after dinos to get food everyday." </p>
<p>"Dinos don't taste good." </p>
<p>"...You have tried?!" </p>
<hr/>
<p>Each year is full of surprises since he met China. </p>
<p>Eighteen, he meets her in the midst of cherry blossoms, <em> sake </em> and gorilla.</p>
<p>Twenty-two, he steals her first kiss and their hands find themselves entangling, somehow.</p>
<p>Twenty-three, he holds her for the first time. They become an item. </p>
<p>Twenty-five, they marry. </p>
<p>Twenty-six, they move to Kabuki district. </p>
<p>Twenty-seven, they try for a baby, and nearly get divorced. He follows her to space, technically he's her disciple but he won't ever admit. </p>
<p>Twenty-eight, Soyo <em> hime </em> manages to win many business deals with <em> Amanto </em>s. </p>
<p>Twenty-nine, Kagura's pregnant and they're back on Earth. <em> Danna </em>faints when she gives birth, but he's all eyes on little Souichiro-kun in his arms. </p>
<p>Thirty-five, he wakes up to the scent of <em> sukonbu miso </em> each morning, the footsteps of Souichiro, Kanna and Mitsu running to their mami. </p>
<p>"Did you wake up Sadist?" Kagura is juggling with the three rice-cookers as she fills up monstrous bowls, and Sougo shifts to the large pot to serve the soup. They'll probably have to get delivered food again— in a larger truck, this time. </p>
<p>The children are growing, and consequently seem to inhale food at a speed even Kagura herself cannot match.</p>
<p>"Yeah," his voice is groggy and sighs when he thinks of the food budget. Even with both of their large salaries the children manage to eat it all away, not that he truly minds but he wants to have a couple, husband and wife only trip. One day. "Kanna don't steal from your brother's bowl, we have enough for the three of you." </p>
<p>Kagura laughs, and Sougo's surprised again. Not that he should, but she's gorgeous and he doesn't get tired of it. </p>
<p>"China," he pulls her from the waist and kisses her. </p>
<p>And get bashed in the head with a pan.</p>
<p>"I said, not in front of them, Sadist! Keep it in your pants, will you? Do you want a fourth coming up?" </p>
<p>"Maybe," he mutters and rubs his head. His wife seems to hit harder and harder as she grows, after all it must be true. All men fear the creature they call their wife. </p>
<p>Although his is the best. </p>
<p>Kagura flushes and drops the spoon she held, "wait really?" </p>
<p>Sougo hums, and little Souichiro is glaring at him. Somehow this brat grows looking more and more alike to him, which means Souichiro absolutely adores his <em> mami </em> so much he wanna marry her. </p>
<p><em>Thousands years too early for that, brat. Do you know what did it take to get this woman? </em> </p>
<p>"Why not, China doll." </p>
<p>He leaves a peck on her lips again, and laughs as he dodges the various cooking utensils flying at him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Here's a one-shot, I hope you enjoyed this! I wanted to work on married Okikagu, and the issues they might face, I like mature Okikagu a lot!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Rouge: bullet ii</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>
  <b>Rouge</b>
</h1><h2>
  <b>bullet ii</b>
</h2><hr/><p>
  <span>It was against her expectation to get used to the Shinsengumi so easily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But in truth, it wasn’t much different from the Yato Clan. A large Asian mansion with great gates and a carefully tended garden where stinky men ran havoc daily. The smell of dirty socks, the hidden perverse magazines she found in innocent corners, it was, to be clear, a hole for savages just like the Yato Clan. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This morning was no different in that she didn’t so much wake up but was pulled out of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>futon</span>
  </em>
  <span> by Otose. At least Kagura now held the privilege of putting on the dark </span>
  <em>
    <span>kimono</span>
  </em>
  <span> herself as she walked out from the eastern wing, where the few women in the Shinsengumi tended to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jimmy cleaned the hallways while some half-naked men were in the courtyard swinging swords under the supervision of Mayora. Kagura ignored the noise and delighted herself with the gentle wind blowing on her face, and made her way to the central building. She used to apprehend this moment but she didn’t care anymore, it was something of a ritual before eating breakfast. Kagura slid the door open, unsurprised at the young man slouched on a pillow, his hand lazily twirling a brush. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In particular, Kagura had gotten used to the existence known as Okita Sougo. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re late China,” the brush flew in the air and fell into his hands. In front of him, laid on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>tatami</span>
  </em>
  <span> were many a little porcelain pots containing pigments, painting a beautiful scene in itself. Okita sat upright and dipped the brush into water, trying out the colors one by one on a scroll of paper and Kagura thought today would be blue and purple. Depending on his mood Okita chose different patterns and colors everyday. Today felt like a </span>
  <em>
    <span>purple.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “I’m going to draw a poop on you again,” he teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do it again and I’ll kill you Sadist. I’m sure Kamui would let me,” the panel closed in a loud </span>
  <em>
    <span>clack</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Kagura sat down in front of him, feeling his eyes on her. She untied the </span>
  <em>
    <span>obi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, which she had barely tightened anyway, and let the silk cascade onto the floor as she revealed the precious expanse of her skin— her whole back to him. There wasn’t any bashful blush, nothing of the sort, when she disrobed in front of him because he didn’t see her with such </span>
  <em>
    <span>eyes</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Okita saw her as a woman he respected during fights— though it didn’t stop him admiring her beauty, he never confined her to be just that. His staring prickled her a little and Kagura sighed, feeling the wet brush and cold water tracing her back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wanna fight your brother too, just so you know, it would be fun.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two should totally go at it, yes?” Her eyebrow arched and felt calmed by the sunlight filtering through the door, she liked the sound of men training from afar, and the birds singing. It reminded her of her old house in the mountains, back when they were but a normal family and now she lived in the constant buzz of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Hong Kong</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “Soyo-chan would love it, hearing you and Kamui got together—” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The </span>
  <em>
    <span>princess</span>
  </em>
  <span> is a bad influence, since your poor brain doesn't differentiate reality from fantasy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean, the way the two of you talk is kinda weird—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shh China, you’re rotting my mind,” he pinched at her waist and though she couldn’t see him, she pictured his shit-eating grin perfectly in her mind. “Stop moving.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was the tradition in the Shinsengumi family to tattoo their members, as often was the case with many families of the night world. Since Kamui decided, without her consent, to lend her to the Shinsengumi she had to show she belonged here; even temporarily. Tattoos would be too much and wouldn’t work on a Yato, after all, so it had been decided that someone would paint it on her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unfortunately Okita being himself, he quickly replaced Yamazaki for this job and so, she found herself having to do this each morning. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The incense wafted in the air with a familiar smell— sweet and elegant, Okita made no small expenses for good quality incense. Kagura now knew the agarwood came from Thailand, and that it was mixed with jasmine oil to make it more flagrant. And jasmine was something he cherished because his late sister like it— </span>
</p><p>
  <span>— there were many things he told her, his mind wandering, as he painted on her body. Kagura sat still trying to imagine what he drew from the strokes of the brush, swirling in a precise and determined manner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kamui told me,” she said hesitantly, “it’s soon finished. I think Mucchi said she’s coming back and she’ll explain everything. I mean, I only came here because I pity Abuto, yes? And I wanted to eat japanese food, I never thought Mucchi was seduced and escaloped—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Eloped, China.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, eloped with a random man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So? Are you saying farewell to me, China?” Okita was wry, a dry laughter in his words. Kagura didn’t quite know what to make of it, though she would be lying if she said she wouldn’t miss the idiotic bunch of the Shinsengumi, and Gin-chan. Of course, </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> was another case, someone she loved to hate but he wasn’t a bad person. Most of the time, that is. “You’re shrewder than I thought, are you going to confess your love now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who’s going to confess?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The brush drew one last arc and Kagura heard him flicking it to the water glass but made no intention to move— for it had to dry, like usual Okita handed her a large mirror from behind, allowing her to look at his work. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A large butterfly was spread on her back, following the curve of her spine as it seemed to rest on her body. Its wings were spread beautifully, having just landed, and the intricate curves and colors seemed to be like laces, and Kagura guessed right. Purple amid the black and gold— the colors of the Shinsengumi— she felt pleased, usually Okita drew more traditional tattoos. Things like angry dragons, Buddhas, the sea roaring… although he was less talented than Yamazaki, his work was detailed and clean. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, aren’t you the one who’s meek?” She laughed, after he patted her back and confirmed the painting dried Kagura quickly slipped into her </span>
  <em>
    <span>kimono</span>
  </em>
  <span>, “a butterfly?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did something nice for once,” he rose up and yawned. “Don’t worry, I don’t think you’re anything more than a piggy China.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Kagura opened the door and shifted to face him, “and you’re a Chihuahua, yes? Take your sword, I’ll see if you’ll survive fighting Kamui.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always up to destroy you, China,” he returned her smile. </span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Another snippet of Rouge. I won't post in chronogical order so I hope you get the gist of it-- the idea of Rouge is a Yakuza AU where Sougo paints something new everyday on Kagura.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Bloodrose i</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <em>
      <span>Fear them, for they are the students of the Silver Soul Academy where preys and hunters work hands-in-hands together.</span>
    </em>
  </p>
</blockquote><p>
  <span>Being born from a vampire father and a human mother Okita Sougo qualified as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dhampir</span>
  </em>
  <span>, a half-blood, so to speak. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naturally, he was sent to the Silver Soul Academy where his kindreds thrived; bathing in the glory of </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stray Hunts</span>
  </em>
  <span> and in the honor of serving a noble master. Such was the way of their world— vampires were stern with their rules— and sending an orphan </span>
  <em>
    <span>dhampir</span>
  </em>
  <span> to the Silver Soul academy, the most prestigious of its kind, was only proper. They couldn’t have him running around and becoming a stray. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Especially not a child of the Okita House, even if here were but a mere bastard child. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was in the harsh winter of Russia, if things such as a kind winter existed here and after tumultuous meetings the Council decided to send him here. A bastard and talented child who just survived the death of all his family couldn’t be ignored; as a Stray he would cause much havoc and the Council hated havoc most of all. Although Okita Sougo resented them for not enforcing their strict rules on the noble families as well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother was one of those human mistresses nobles liked to keep close— his entire family lived in the manor of the duke Okita. Mistresses, side-lovers and the likes were common for vampires, even more so for the ones with the means to fund it; after all they lived hundreds, thousands years. Few couples stayed devoted to each other and most had playthings; which was why the duchess Okita tolerated their presence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But playthings, after all, should stay playthings. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having married into the prestigious Okita House the duchess’s background wasn’t any lesser. She was raised in all luxury vampire life could offer and entered as a prideful wife, with an ancient family to support her. Arranged marriages were common to keep the blood pure and strong, to not ever lose their grasp of their power by constantly birthing strong heirs. A mere human mistress couldn’t offend the duchess for she knew she stood above them, she considered them her husband’s folly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, Okita remembered the duke as a kind father. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The duke had long fallen in love with their mother, meek and with hair like honey, she appeared even more precious to the duke who yielded her everything. He even ignored the duchess, having not done so much as  to sleep with her, at least on the wedding’s night, and only tended to their mother. The duchess didn’t mind his tryst, humans weren’t worthy of her anger and from the union of the duke and his mother, only came a pitiful child. Female heirs didn’t matter in Japan, much less one so laughable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Children from a </span>
  <em>
    <span>moroi</span>
  </em>
  <span> and a human inherited a varying blood percentage but Mitsuba was born weaker then most humans and spent her childhood in a closeted world, bed-ridden and tended to by physicians. She wasn’t anything even close to dangerous for the duchess, who had an almost eternity to bed her husband and produce a child. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then came a second child.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okita Sougo, although a half-blood he was a male who grew up gifted. He was as strong as a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dhampir</span>
  </em>
  <span> can be and everything his father taught, he quickly understood and it pleased the duke a lot. In fact, he was so smart the duke fancied him as his </span>
  <em>
    <span>heir</span>
  </em>
  <span> and planned to divorce the duchess. She was made a clown by other nobles, and her treasured pride shattered by a mere human. She was a pureblood, she would live hundreds of years, she had everything at her feet and yet the duke wanted her out, never once paying attention to her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what they say about her”, she had heard her former friends whispering at the balls, “the human is the wife, she’s the mistress.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To someone whose only strength was pride, breaking it into pieces meant breaking her too. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A terrible accident,</span>
  </em>
  <span> the official report said. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So this is the brat?” Okita didn’t expect to be welcomed by an old woman clad in black, her eyelids shining blue, a cigar in her thin fingers. The old woman scooped towards him, as if examining an item and patted his head with much kindness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had been the first kindness since they found him hidden in the kitchen, corpses of his family scattered through the manor, and then the Council brought him, coldly asked him, then sent him away. He thought they sentenced him to exil, in this strange place of freezing cold and snow, but he welcomed the scent of </span>
  <em>
    <span>tobacco</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “You’re going to live here now,” she told him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The men of Council bowed to her, leaving only when she gestured for them so. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Otose, the director of this place,” she held his little hands and walked him through the gilded gate. Beyond him stood the most impressive building he ever saw— bigger, taller than his father’s manor, or the Council’s headquarter. Red walls sprawled in the horizon with colorful and strange roofs— onion roofs, he had learnt, and the many pilasters giving the structure a studier appearance. “This is the Silver Soul academy, you will study here with many other kids like you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what you are, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A half blood,” Okita repeated immediately. The lessons of his father are still fresh, painfully fresh in his mind and he nearly dropped to his knees again. Death of loved ones didn’t hit like a truck like he thought it would. It was far more insidious, making him feel numb, as if he were watching a movie from afar only reality would wrench him back to this wretched world. He was inconsolable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Otose stopped, whispering foreign words until the gate opened. With great surprise he discovered the cold was no more though he couldn’t tell why or explain the phenomenon. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> “I guess they were right when they said your brain ain’t empty. I’m what you call a </span>
  <em>
    <span>strigoi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, well, one of the few that didn’t go insane. Those old men,” she dropped the cigar onto the snow. Okita was taught gravity and expected for the cigar to fall, crushed into the snow— but didn’t. Instead it disappeared, along with the snow and left him in a strange beautiful green garden. “Sent your here, but don’t worry. I’m an old </span>
  <em>
    <span>strigoi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and that’s something! You’ll be safe and fed.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okita gawked at the sight, as if magic existed in his world again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are some spells to protect the students here but you’ll have to fight for yourself, kid. I heard you were the heir of the Okita, but your house has fallen and you’re a </span>
  <em>
    <span>dhampir</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she ruffled his hair and led him to a bedroom, “we will help you be strong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Strong.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>“Why are you calling me again, Granny?” Okita slouched onto the chair and crossed his legs on the desk— Granny’s desk— as a nerve popped in her wrinkled forehead and she slammed her cigar on her papers again. Otose was positively fuming, and he was positively annoyed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why,” Otose flung a pen at him, which he dodged with a hint of habit, “all the ones </span>
  <em>
    <span>I</span>
  </em>
  <span> raise turn out like this!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe the problem is with you,” he suggested with a lazy smile, “they say </span>
  <em>
    <span>strigoi</span>
  </em>
  <span>s get crazy from living so long.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t play this game with me brat, my mind is clearer than those old men from the Council at least. But we’re not here to talk of me. I heard you still haven’t found a partner.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m doing well on my own,” he retorted coldly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right,” Otose opened the drawer and lit up a cigar again, the smell of Tabaco now familiar to him, “you’re doing well for C level strays and then one day you’ll meet one that’s not a C and you happily die ripped in shreds. Do you think I made this partner system as a joke?!“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to make me go with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>moroi</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know that someone with your talent needs to. Besides, it’s not such a bad thing. So what if they’re noble? A </span>
  <em>
    <span>moroi</span>
  </em>
  <span> partner will help you redeeming the Okita name and make you recognized as a true heir and you know you can’t do this alone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“</span>
  <em>
    <span>Granny</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Otose sighed and handed him a file, which he accepted only out of respect for her. Usually in cases like this— when a second year had yet to find a partner— Granny would matchmake them herself; it was said she had an almost seer-like abilities when it came to it, though he believed she was simply old and experienced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Isn’t this kind of stuff secret?” He queried warily but looked at the file. There was a picture of a strange girl with vibrant red hair and blue eyes and he immediately recognized her. “You gave me a Yato, of all things?” His voice was wry. Among the many noble families scattered in the world the Yato Clan in particular overtook them all. They were feared for their strength and legends said they might even descend from Chinese dynasties. They had a perfectly ancient and prestigious lineage to boot. “A bastard </span>
  <em>
    <span>dhampir</span>
  </em>
  <span> and a Yato. A </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yato</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I guess only a crazy old lady like you would come up with something so ridiculous!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Read before you speak, brat. That girl’s not your average pampered heiress,” Otose blew away the smoke and tapped her fingers against the desk, “well, she’s quite pampered now. But look at where she used to live, she was a lost child.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He read </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kowloon</span>
  </em>
  <span> and arched his eyebrows, “you’re telling me the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yato</span>
  </em>
  <span> lost a child?” Judging from the color of her hair and eyes she wasn’t any Yato but one of its precious pureblood princesses, a descendant of the main branch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Things happen in every family.” Otose smiled, “she’s been found two years ago and she will come here tomorrow, I’m sure you two will make good partners. She calls me Granny too, you know?”” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okita had never managed to reproduce Otose’s grin. It was a grin like her surmises always came true, confident and irritating. And so, he slammed the door from her office and promptly left.</span>
</p><hr/><p>
  <span>The night bell woke him from his nap; as much as he appreciated Kondo-san his classes were simply boring and that was when he wasn’t fantasizing about his </span>
  <em>
    <span>Miss Tae</span>
  </em>
  <span> midway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, he yawned and neatly packed his bag, it would be time for the hunting classes which was taught by his favorite teacher: Sakata Gintoki. The perm head shared his lazy, laid-back personality and the daughter of the said perm head just so happened to be his partner. Admiring the dark sky speckled with stars, Okita reached the east yard where he found her amid the training ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagura wore the traditionally red uniform and laid her back against a human-sized mannikin, gobbling down seaweed strips; one after another. She looked like she’d slept through her lessons and he noted the sugar coating her lips, and then he couldn’t help himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yo China, you should learn about hygiene one of these days,” though his voice drawled in a monotone manner, Okita didn’t miss the sudden boost of energy rushing through. Annoying her, he had learned, was the second best part of being her partner. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My high genes,” she licked away the sugar, “is fine without you. Sukonbu exists to be eaten like that, yes?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Okita added that its creator didn’t want to see a piggy wolfing down on his snack and earned a painful jab in his stomach, he cursed her for possessing this stupid strength. It was close to midnight and his last dose was six hours ago; he massaged the back of his neck in annoyance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re hungry,” she didn’t do much as ask him; she knew. But today she couldn’t properly meet him since they were busy welcoming the first years. “You’ll get it soon,” Kagura pointed towards the entrance with her chin where a large group walked to them in smudges of black, white and in less numbers, red. In the front was Otose, in her rich dark </span>
  <em>
    <span>kimono</span>
  </em>
  <span> and a cigar in her mouth  she asked them:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Gintoki?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Late.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This brat,” she scoffed, “you fifth years go and take care of them while I’m bringing his ass here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, sure Granny,” Kagura waved her away, “don’t forget to give us his salary too!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you can eat more of your disgusting </span>
  <em>
    <span>sukonbu</span>
  </em>
  <span>? You’re selling your dad so easily China, how cruel,” he laughed and strode towards the new students standing confused, some chatting and some others silently admiring the academy’s ground. To be fair, Okita knew how beautiful the scenery was— red, blue and gold in snow, and once stepping inside the snow became lush green grass. It still impressed him, years after.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Otose took her role as director very much and even the rich brats seemed impressed, for spells were not common amongst even the highest circle. He kicked Kagura and, with a dastardly smirk, “so you guys are new here. Welcome to the Silver Soul Academy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sadist,” Kagura hissed in his back and pinched him, to which he responded with a second kick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll explain only once so don’t bother making me repeat—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going to kill you!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“First, you noticed that everyone is wearing a color, right? The black uniform,” he straightened his own jacket, “is for </span>
  <em>
    <span>dhampirs</span>
  </em>
  <span>. You know what it is? Good,” his fingers knotted into her hair and she nearly threw him against a mannikin, if not for his last-minute dodge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The white uniform is for </span>
  <em>
    <span>strigoi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, immortal vampires. Not alive, this is why Gran— director Otose had to put a spell here, else they’ll be too cold to move and lastly red uniform like hers,” he caught her by the shoulders and planted her before him, “are called </span>
  <em>
    <span>moroi</span>
  </em>
  <span>, vampires who are alive. A lot of them come from noble families which is why us </span>
  <em>
    <span>dhampirs</span>
  </em>
  <span> work for them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagura sighed in annoyance. She stopped the ongoing assaults towards him and shifted to faced the first years, “you will have to find a partner or partners when you’re here. Granny,”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Director Otose.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Granny will help you if you can’t find anyone by next year but try to find one yourself, yes?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was Imai and Tokugawa laughing just behind them, which seemed to make Kagura embarrassed as she proceeded to fumble the rest of her words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The school will feed you, yes? But for hunts you need more than just human blood—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The students in red flushed at the mention of feeding, like Kagura their uniform consisted of a high-collared black top underneath a crimson long coat, their fingers moving to their neck as if to hide it further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t need to really… bite,” Kagura quickly added and brought a small vial from the pocket of her coat. The sheer sight of her blood made him gulp. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ah dammit, I’m totally addicted.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“We proceed by vials. Well, you can bite if you want to but that’s your reverence—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Preference,” he cut again and caught the precious glass vial in his hands. Unlocking the opening he pressed it against his lips, not minding the staring as he drank. It was said that to humans blood had a metallic taste but for vampires it was something like a juice and in particular, </span>
  <em>
    <span>moroi</span>
  </em>
  <span> blood tasted good. Okita unceremoniously licked away the last remains and threw the vial to Kagura, adrenaline coursing in his veins as he felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>power</span>
  </em>
  <span> in him. His eyes shone in a dangerous glint. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” a student in black asked shyly, “this … This is for the hunt, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kagura nodded, “usually strays aren’t very dangerous but sometimes, when there’s a lot of them or if they’ve managed to feed on other vampires they gain in power. It’s too dangerous for half-bloods alone and we cannot defend against charms so we partner up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look China, boss is here,” he indicated the two figures emerging from the east wing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi Gin-chan,” Kagura waved to the poor white haired-man being pulled by the ears, cringing in pain as Otose reprimanded him. Though the first hunt had always been safe, it didn’t mean to not take any precautions and the teachers were required to ensure the student’s safety. The first years were already scared as they were, lest a casualty happen on their first week. “You’re getting beaten by Granny again!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ack, let me go you old woman—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everyone here?” Otose ignored him and scanned the area. Of the fifth years, only the best of the Academy were invited for the “welcome show” as they nicknamed it. There were him and China, of course, though their actual ranking was low because of all the accumulated damages they had when they quarreled and of course, Imai and Tokugawa. The elite duo, as they were known, though Okita was surprised the </span>
  <em>
    <span>megane</span>
  </em>
  <span> and his equally Jimmy partner were here too. “Welcome to the Silver Soul Academy,” Otose blew the smoke towards the new students, “today we’ve especially brought captured strays and unleashed them in the forest, the fifth years are going to show you what a hunt looks like.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finally released Gintoki, “though don’t worry, we’re going to watch over you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The students didn’t look convinced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Soyo, Nobume you take the group A, Kagura and Okita take the group B. And,” Otose tapped her fingers against her head, “what’s your name already?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you forget us?!” Shinpachi and Yamazaki screamed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, the Jimmys take group C. Open the gate and let’s start the hunt!”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Growing up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <h1>
  <b>Growing up</b>
</h1><h2>
  <b>ain’t that sweet</b>
</h2><hr/><p>It seemed to Okita Sougo that everyone, from respectable gorillas like Kondo-san to sheer trash like Hijikata-san, nagged him like little pests. And it was one thing if they complained about the shop he destroyed with his rocket launcher or the laxative he slipped into Hijikata-san’s mayonnaise but no, instead they only had China this, China that in their endless blabbering. </p><p>“Sougo,” Kondo-san’s stern voice echoed in the room as he cleaned his sword and prepared to go patrolling, “even if you think that way China-san is a woman. Otae-san told me—”</p><p>“—Weren’t you stalking her again, Kondo-san.”</p><p>“She <em> told me </em> you cut her hair when you fought!" Kondo feigned to not notice the acridity in his remark, "and that China-san was very unhappy. You know what they say, a hair is a woman's life."</p><p>Okita didn’t bother to reply and slipped in his earphones, playing his favorite <em> rakugo </em> to change his mind. Kondo’s face distorted with the expression of a father reprimanding his teenage son and only added fuel to his anger. He was twenty-two and well an adult even before that; had they forgotten they were the one to bring him in Edo and make him a captain? That he shed more blood than even the oldest soldier here? He wasn’t a child and yet, somehow, everyone no longer called her <em> China girl </em> and acted as if he was in the wrong for quarrelling with her. </p><p>Just because she was, in a biological sense, a woman and eighteen now made them change their mind and judged their rivalry <em> improper </em>. </p><p>“For fuck’s sake,” he muttered to himself and stepped out of the compound with a growing annoyance, “she hasn’t changed at all.”</p><p>And they never cared about it before, either. Whether she was a woman or not and how old she was didn’t matter in their relationship—she was the one he wanted to defeat. He didn’t know why they, all of sudden, realized she didn’t have <em> kintokis </em> in her pants. </p><p>Okita sighed and ditched the first division soldiers with him as he made his way to the Kabuki District. Kamiyama shrieked once again about how he should keep to his duties and most importantly that he should be accompanied if he were to go to love hotels, to which Okita answered with a cold glare. <em> Bunch of fools, </em> he cursed and wondered if they should rename themselves as <em> Shinsenstalkers </em>since it would befit them better anyway. </p><p>He met China on his way to the Yorozuya, the pure disgust written on her face amused him as usual and lightened his mood. She was leaning onto the railings, watching passersby entering the Snack Otose in a lost gaze until he called her out. If one thing did change in China it was that she sometimes dozed off though he never guessed what she was thinking; she became more pensive than before. However, Okita was never far and often broke her from her thoughts. </p><p>“Gin-chan is doing a request with Shinpachi, they’re tracking a cheater or something,” she held her face towards him, then shifted back to the busy streets underneath again. </p><p>“It seems like you guys are busier than before, rejoice China! You might finally eat something that’s not eggs on rice.”</p><p>“Eggs on rice is not about money,” she cut dryly, “it’s love, yes? So what are you here for, Sadist?” </p><p>He looked at her dumbly, waited for a minute to pass before she faced him. His lips curved in a smile and his left hand caught the handle of his sword, ready to destroy the Yorozuya’s building again in excitement. She never failed to make his blood prickle with adrenaline, especially now with her growing alien strength she made a formidable opponent. </p><p>“I don’t want to fight,” she sighed, beheld him for a while and slipped back inside. Okita used his foot to budge the door and his frustration slipping out he gripped her shoulders. </p><p>“Oi. Are you sick, China? Or are you ovulat—”</p><p>Before he could end his sentence and with a sense of deja-vu, she caught his head firmly in her hand and sent him toppling against <em> Danna's </em> desk; pure mahogany against his skull. The desk sustained little damages but Okita held his head, the pain ringing still. It occurred to him when he saw her irritated face looking down on him that she might be in a bad mood. </p><p>“Are you angry I cut your hair last time?” He rubbed the swelling bump on his forehead and rose up. Last time they fought in the park he had swung his blade a tad too close to her face, Kagura dodged the hit but he saw strands of her orange hair flying. The hair which originally reached as far as her waist now only cascaded to her shoulders though back then she only cursed him. “I thought you didn’t care.”</p><p>Then again, he often saw her wandering in and about fashionable cafés and popular clothing malls now, given she earned a proper salary on her own now. He ruffled his hair, <em> well this is awkward </em>, he thought. He knew she cared about things like clothes, makeup and the likes so she must have resented him for cutting down her hair despite it being an accident.</p><p>“Yeah, who would cut a maiden’s hair and not even apologize, yes? You’re lucky Shinpachi managed to make it look okay or I’d have shaved your head bald.” </p><p>Okita remembered apologizing to her once—for the gag and maybe he was too hungry and cold to think at the moment. He raised an eyebrow, “it’s not like it won’t grow again, look, isn’t it that your original design, anyway? And I didn’t sulk when you broke my ribs and my tibia last week.” </p><p>“That’s different!”</p><p>“How is that different?!” He didn’t want to raise his voice and instead moved on to what he came for: a good spare with her. “Anyway, let’s go to the river since the park isn’t repaired yet, I’m itching for a fight, China. Please help release this policeman’s frustration.”</p><p>“Don’t make it sound so weird,” Kagura plopped onto the blue couch, “I said I’m not doing it, yes? Kagura-sama is a busy woman, go find and kill Mayora for good or something. Or take back your stalking gorilla from <em> Anego </em> ’s cabaret,” she reached for the basket of <em> sukonbu </em> on the table and proceeded to munch on it, forgetting his existence. </p><p>“You’re just busy eating, pig.” </p><p>"I'm waiting for Soyo-chan, she said we'd go to a mixing. A mix. No, a mixer" </p><p>“A mixer,” he repeated after her. Okita frowned, “do you even know what it is?”</p><p>He couldn’t quite imagine her keeping her temper as drunk young men attempted to slip a hand or two on her; if they weren’t grossed out by her eating habit already; she would literally throw them off. The princess was obsessed as of late to find someone for China, or any of her friends, really. He had even heard through Kondo-san that Imai was also pressured to play into her games—though he guessed the princess didn’t know her preference for women. </p><p>“Yeah, that’s when hot girls and hot guys meet, yes?”</p><p><em> At least she understands, </em> he mused and trotted to the entrance. He couldn’t fathom why China, of all things, wanted to go to a mixer but he decided to put that on the princess’s tab. In Okita’s opinion, she was quite a bad influence now and <em> Danna </em> would be crying if he learnt his darling daughter went to something like a mixer. He also noted to inform him, of course, because she dared to refuse a fight with him for a mere <em> mixer </em>. </p><p>“Well, good luck China. Don’t forget I’ll be here to arrest you when you end up murdering the guys.” </p><p>“Like hell, Sadist!”</p><hr/><p>The next time they met was at Ikumatsu’s Ramen stand. </p><p>He finished patrolling and having skipped lunch, was attracted by the delicious scent of ramen wafting to him. With some surprise, he found her sitting there with an abnormally large bowl which Ikumatsu kept refilling, the two women engaged in a conversation. </p><p>Of course, he sat down a seat away from her and ordered a bowl himself. </p><p>When he came back to the compound last time and told Hijikata-san that China went to a mixer the despicable man grinned and, in a shitty I-told-you face, asked if he had realized anything now. Okita scoffed and answered he didn't care about the latest trend China followed, though this didn't mean now she was before him that he wasn't curious. Surely, something must have gone wrong in this mixer because China was involved, after all. </p><p>“So, how was it?”</p><p>“Stinkin’ Sadist again,” she greeted him with a neutral face. He guessed she was not angry for the accidental haircut anymore and he was pleased by her disgruntled face as she reminisced about the mixer, “I didn’t find anyone good enough.”</p><p>“I hope you didn’t kill anyone,” Okita put a correct amount of money plus tips on the table and savored the ramen. It always tasted good here—not overly salty or cheap, something that felt like a home meal. “If you did then wash away the proofs properly.” </p><p>“Are you really a policeman? Fucking tax-robbers,” she muttered under her breath, “I didn’t kill anyone, yes? Soyo-chan didn’t bring any giants like Dai-chan,” he forgot she had an ex-boyfriend, “but they were all weird. There was one who looked like prince Hata and one who’s all grey with big black eyes. I don’t know what kind of aliens they were but she said they were all princes. Ah, there was even a dog-face one! Though he looked better than you, Chihuahua.” </p><p>“Look at yourself first,” he deadpanned back while sneaking a peek at her. </p><p>China's hair seemed even redder in the stand's light. He noticed she was wearing a fancier outfit today again so he wouldn't be able to spare with her; last time he ruined her dress she slipped into the Shinsengumi and tore his bedroom to shreds. He also suspected Katsura helped her, how else did she find his room? Disappointed, he told she was ugly as always and that she should have married that dog-faced prince and have dog-faced babies. He expected her to sucker punch him right here and now but China fell into deep thoughts again. </p><p>It irked him a bit, to be honest. </p><p>“I don’t want my kids to look weird,” she finally said after careful reflections and then it hit Okita like a truck—that China wanted children. Somehow, he pictured both of them protecting Edo with their respective boss and destroying buildings together just like how nobody aged in Gintama—almost. “I mean, I guess it won’t matter if I love the guy.”</p><p>He said exactly what he had in mind: “You want to marry?”</p><p>Kagura grimaced at him and finished her glass of orange juice, “did you think I was a monk or something, Sadist?”</p><p>“I didn’t know. It’s not like we talk of that,” he found her almost reproachful. How was he to know? The soldiers around him all cherished someone, from a childhood friend to a courtesan but most didn’t act upon it because working in the Shinsengumi meant endangering their loved ones; they supported them from afar. They fought—and died—to protect them and as for himself Okita wasn’t even interested in a woman. It only felt natural that China would be the same and it wasn’t like he gave any deep thoughts about it. </p><p>“I guess you don’t, I mean, like Mayora. There’s only your Gorilla to love someone so openly,” China spoke softly. Though he didn’t hear all of it, she murmured something about ‘idiots’ and ‘only following a gorilla’ before finishing her bowl and wiping her mouth uncouthly with her arms. “It’s not like I want to marry right now and Papi would kill him, yes? I want to be the strongest alien hunter before that but I can date a guy.” </p><p>He wondered when her brain grew big enough to overcome food and think of dating but he shrugged. He would never admit it but this Kondo-san and Hijikata might have been right. Still, he didn’t know what he had to with her wanting to marry.</p><p>“I don’t think you’ll find someone strong enough to survive all your family,” Okita glanced at her curiously and counted on his fingers, “there’s <em> Danna </em>, glasses, your bald of a father, your criminal of a brother and—I should arrest you, actually. Your family is suspicious.”</p><p>She jabbed him in his stomach—he spit back the noodles—and rose up. Her giant bowl, which really was a fucking basin, was empty and she had no reason to stay further. "If they want to date a sexy woman like this Kagura-sama," she turned her back to him and said goodbye to Ikumatsu, “it’s the least they can do, right?”</p><p>Okita ate the remaining and now cold ramen in a pensive state. She surprised him in the way her eyes shone with such confidence and whoever the man was to marry her, she would be a good wife. He didn’t know why he thought so but he was sure of it, though the picture of her being a wife made him groan in distaste; it was both unnerving and irritating </p><p>She was his rival, and seeing her gone all mushy mushy earned him a knotted stomach. He decided he lost appetite and bowed to Ikumatsu, China might have knocked his brain too hard last time and he was suffering its consequences. </p><p>He decided to get the Shinsengumi’s doctor to check it out.</p><hr/><p>“And she said she wanted to marry or at least date a guy before marrying.” </p><p>“Why are you telling this to me?!” Hijikata yelled, he was hunched back on his desk and working through a pile of paperwork when Okita entered, sitting down on a corner with a <em> JUMP </em> magazine. “And shouldn’t you be working, Sougo?”</p><p>“Give me a break. And here I am, finally decided to let you take your big brother role or whatever. Die, Hijikata-san, you’re really useless.”</p><p>“Big brother?” Hijikata shivered, sighed and lit up a cigarette, turning away from the paperwork. It might have been out of … respect for him or because Okita saw Yamazaki’s report on the desk which was filled with <em> Tama-san </em>. “That’s disgusting, even for you.”</p><p>He shrugged. </p><p>“So, didn’t I tell you? Kondo-san, Zaki, she’s a woman now. I mean, it’s quite obvious she has grown and it’s not like she has any reasons to not to marry. China girl is a pretty normal woman, outside of being a Yato when you think about it.” </p><p>“You call her <em> normal </em>?”</p><p>"You know that better than me, Sougo. So what? Did you realize you had feelings for her?" Hijikata frowned when he said, of course, no and that there was no way he was interested in her <em> this </em> way. </p><p>He kept the remark for himself that he might not be against bedding her because it would be interesting. <em> Probably </em>. However, commitments like marriage or children, it was all too foreign for Okita and he couldn’t imagine himself in this kind of future. His sword and life, he had long decided, belonged to Kondo-san and the Shinsengumi so no space was left for a family. </p><p>“Then don’t fight with her.” </p><p>“What does that have to do with her wanting to marry?” Okita cut in and scrunched the page of the <em> JUMP </em> he held, “why does everyone act like I have something to do in it? It’s honestly annoying like you’re acting like I'm doing something weird with China, we’ve been like this for what, more than  four years already?”</p><p>“You might look at her asexually but this isn’t what people can think, right? People might spread that you two have something going on, or if any man likes her, they give up because of you.”</p><p>“As far as I know, nobody is stopping Kondo-san from stalking and nobody is bothering him.”</p><p>“Kondo-san wants to pursue her. And it’s <em> Kondo-san </em>,” Hijikata blew the smoke and breathed in again as if he were talking to a child, which exasperated Okita. “If you respect China then you should stop that rivalry of yours, don’t play with a woman’s reputation and happiness. Besides, if China does marry then it’s not like you two will keep fighting either, right? Anyone can see how much she likes kids, her eyes brighten when she sees them, do you think she’ll have any time for you?” </p><p>Okita stopped moving. His brain froze and at once pictures of China being married submerged his mind again. Last time, he saw her in an apron and cooking up terrible diners with a bright smile. China wearing a ring proudly and showing it off to odd aliens in space. He didn't imagine it yet, the shadow of a man standing behind her with equally shadowy children and it hits him. Indeed, there was no way China could have time fighting him while being an alien hunter, a mother and a wife. </p><p>“I mean, if I was her husband I wouldn’t want to see her with another guy all the time right? Or see someone else injure her on a weekly basis? Kondo-san feels this too, the Yorozuya and us might be at odds but we saw China girl growing up. Don’t be selfish Sougo and let her have her own happiness. We might not care about reputation but a lot of people do, she’s already an <em> Amanto </em> it won’t be easy for her.”</p><p>China wanted to marry. </p><p>China wanted to have children. </p><p>Someone like China would make a great wife and mother—strong and kind, in her own Chinese <em> aru aru </em> way. </p><p>So what about him?</p><p>Hijikata sent him a wry smile before going back to his boring paperwork, “you should look at the face you’re making, Sougo. Come here when you’ve decided to woo her, it’s been time for you to understand what we’ve been telling you again and again.”</p><hr/><p>Okita cogitated in the comfort of his bedroom. He had twisted and analyzed the hypothesis from every angle but he only came with one conclusion, which he greatly despised, so one last time he tried to crystallize the webs of his thoughts. </p><p>The man China married would be displeased of their ongoing rivalry, whether because he was jealous of his wife or worried Okita might injure her, there was no way he'd allow it. China was already changing away from him; before it used to be normal for them to seek each other and refresh their body through sparring and now she spent time on her own without him. As of late, when they did meet, they didn't fight and she granted him but the time of a short discussion before moving on. </p><p>He was now an ally, a former rival of some sort which she was still fond of. </p><p>Once married, China would try for children. </p><p>A pang of jealousy hit him, the sticky, dumb emotion coiling around him like a snake on its prey. For the whole week, Okita tried to smother the flame, to desperately deny the sheer rage when he saw those shadowy beings in his mind. </p><p>
  <em> Damn it. </em>
</p><p>The type of <em> woman </em> she was, China would be devoted to her family. A successful alien hunter, he pictured, that came home with stupidly extravagant alien prizes and then, he imagined her to be the type to enjoy private affection that kisses her husband at the doorstep and hugs the children in the privacy of her home.</p><p>And he would be someone she greeted sometimes if they crossed paths, maybe even throwing an insult or two. </p><p>With time, he became less. A memory of when she was still the Yorozuya’s China, of her youth. Maybe he would become so less she’d start calling him <em> Okita-san </em> and not Sadist anymore because it was inappropriate. She’d keep her nicknames for the other man, for <em> him </em>, because Okita wouldn’t even be allowed such privilege anymore. </p><p>An acquaintance. A mere acquaintance. </p><p>He resented her for betraying him because they promised to be rivals and to not lose against anyone else and making him that their bond which appeared so strong, could crumble so easily at her wish. She was cruel, for deciding by herself what they were and what they would become and then, he hated himself even more. Because she wasn't abandoning or betraying him; she was winning. She had seen the future she wanted and walked towards it, as always so brave and confident while he still held onto the past. </p><p><em> Where do you think you’re going, </em> he stood up, <em> to a world without me? </em> </p><p>Okita Sougo was a sore loser. </p><p>Above all, he hated losing to China the most and he wasn’t going to be meekly beaten by her. That future which confused so much, he could still more clearly as days passed, the shadow of the man became clear and less blurry. A man wearing a black and gold uniform, his hair flaxen as he greeted his wife with a lazy smirk and their monstrous but cutest children running around with <em> sukonbu </em> <em> . </em></p><p>He opened the door to Hijikata-san’s room. </p><p>“So, did you understand, Sougo?” He grinned at him. </p><p><em> Die, Hijikata-san. </em> </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>